The State Nuclear Safety Regulatory Commission (SNSRC) is the regulatory authority responsible for nuclear safety and radiation protection in the DPRK. It performs inspections and issues permits and licenses for domestic nuclear-related projects. The SNSRC is responsible for issuing the construction permit, the commissioning permits prior to fuel loading, and the operating permits for each LWR unit. On Sept 1, 2001, the SNSRC issued a construction permit to KEDO.

KEDO met with the DPRK regulatory authority periodically from 1998 to 2002 to discuss nuclear safety-related issues. In addition to discussing the safety of the LWR plants, KEDO focused its attention on strengthening the DPRK's regulatory infrastructure. Toward this end, KEDO developed an orientation (i.e., training) program, which was provided to the DPRK nuclear regulatory staff for self-study. On behalf of KEDO, KINS gave classroom training to the DPRK regulatory staff in the second half of 2002.

KEDO also provided codes and standards and other technical documents in support of the DPRK nuclear regulatory authority's safety reviews. In addition, KEDO invited the SNSRC to participate in meetings of the Nuclear Safety Advisory Group. The SNSRC attended its first meeting in December 2000 and met with the safety group several times thereafter. Since August 2002, regulatory inspectors from the SNSRC participated jointly with KINS staff in all its safety inspections at the LWR site at Kumho.